Aishah Alreshoud Free write for July 17, 2014 The Angel in The House I will focus my response on Fanny’s character and try to compare her to Mary Crawford. Fanny comes across as a smart woman who is very self- disciplined, diplomatic and enduring. She endures humiliation from Mrs. Norris, Sir Thomas, Lady Bertram, Maria, and Julia. She is made to feel inferior and inadequate. Yet, deep inside she feels that she is as good as everyone else and maybe even better than them. Thus, she keeps dreaming about being with Edmond and feels that she is more worthy of him than Mary Crawford. Fanny believes that she is better than Mary because the latter is selfish, outspoken, and sometimes inappropriate. Mary wishes Tom’s death so that Edmond wins a better inheritance. Unlike Fanny, Mary does not attempt to hide her intentions. While reading Mansfield Park I find myself wondering about Mary’s strength that makes her appeal to us as modern readers. I think both Fanny and Mary are independent thinkers. Nonetheless, Mary is more outgoing and outspoken, something that we contemporary readers appreciate and demand in strong female characters. In the setting of the novel and during that time, a woman who acts the same way Mary does is criticized. While we appreciate Mary’s practicality, the other characters, especially Fanny, find her selfish. The question I would like to ask here is do we blame Mary for attempting to survive in a very difficult system that barely allows women any chances besides marriage and inheritance? Mary comes from a difficult background and a dysfunctional family. Her only way to escape these difficulties and have a better future is by marrying someone like Edmond. One of the reasons that make Fanny’s behavior frowned up, I think, is that women during the time when Austen wrote her novel were expected to be selfless. Women were generally taught to give but not take. For example, almost everyone is Mansfield need something from Fanny. Lady Bertram needs her assistance and Edmond needs her companionship and friendship since his only brother is busy with his gambling and drinking. Nonetheless, satisfying everyone did not get Fanny anywhere. Edmond still looked at another woman and Sir Thomas is angry with her when she turns down Henry’s proposal despite all of her help to his family. I think what really helped Fanny is not her behavior or character, but the ill behavior of Maria and Julia. Sir Thomas and his family only appreciated Fanny when her own beloved children acted out and disappointed them. Austen shows Fanny as being “the angel in the house” who gives selflessly to others while suppressing her own emotions and desires. The only outlet for Fanny is actually her imagination that keeps her going and gives her strength and hope of having Edmond one day. The end of Austen’s Mansfield Park transforms Fanny from a no one to everything. At the end, everyone needs and appreciates Fanny’s company and help. Sir Thomas and Lady Bertram now want her to be the daughter they never had. Also, Edmond wants her to be his wife and Fanny willingfully forgives and forgets everything that she has been through from humiliation to oppression. The end of Austen’s novel when the heroine lives happily ever after makes me wonder about Austen’s intentions. Is Jane Austen asking the women of that time to endure and be patient in order to win and live happily ever after, as her heroine does?
Free write for July 17, 2014
The Angel in The House
I will focus my response on Fanny’s character and try to compare her to Mary Crawford. Fanny comes across as a smart woman who is very self- disciplined, diplomatic and enduring. She endures humiliation from Mrs. Norris, Sir Thomas, Lady Bertram, Maria, and Julia. She is made to feel inferior and inadequate. Yet, deep inside she feels that she is as good as everyone else and maybe even better than them. Thus, she keeps dreaming about being with Edmond and feels that she is more worthy of him than Mary Crawford. Fanny believes that she is better than Mary because the latter is selfish, outspoken, and sometimes inappropriate. Mary wishes Tom’s death so that Edmond wins a better inheritance. Unlike Fanny, Mary does not attempt to hide her intentions. While reading Mansfield Park I find myself wondering about Mary’s strength that makes her appeal to us as modern readers. I think both Fanny and Mary are independent thinkers. Nonetheless, Mary is more outgoing and outspoken, something that we contemporary readers appreciate and demand in strong female characters. In the setting of the novel and during that time, a woman who acts the same way Mary does is criticized. While we appreciate Mary’s practicality, the other characters, especially Fanny, find her selfish. The question I would like to ask here is do we blame Mary for attempting to survive in a very difficult system that barely allows women any chances besides marriage and inheritance? Mary comes from a difficult background and a dysfunctional family. Her only way to escape these difficulties and have a better future is by marrying someone like Edmond.
One of the reasons that make Fanny’s behavior frowned up, I think, is that women during the time when Austen wrote her novel were expected to be selfless. Women were generally taught to give but not take. For example, almost everyone is Mansfield need something from Fanny. Lady Bertram needs her assistance and Edmond needs her companionship and friendship since his only brother is busy with his gambling and drinking. Nonetheless, satisfying everyone did not get Fanny anywhere. Edmond still looked at another woman and Sir Thomas is angry with her when she turns down Henry’s proposal despite all of her help to his family. I think what really helped Fanny is not her behavior or character, but the ill behavior of Maria and Julia. Sir Thomas and his family only appreciated Fanny when her own beloved children acted out and disappointed them. Austen shows Fanny as being “the angel in the house” who gives selflessly to others while suppressing her own emotions and desires. The only outlet for Fanny is actually her imagination that keeps her going and gives her strength and hope of having Edmond one day. The end of Austen’s Mansfield Park transforms Fanny from a no one to everything. At the end, everyone needs and appreciates Fanny’s company and help. Sir Thomas and Lady Bertram now want her to be the daughter they never had. Also, Edmond wants her to be his wife and Fanny willingfully forgives and forgets everything that she has been through from humiliation to oppression. The end of Austen’s novel when the heroine lives happily ever after makes me wonder about Austen’s intentions. Is Jane Austen asking the women of that time to endure and be patient in order to win and live happily ever after, as her heroine does?